


No Longer

by sinofwriting



Series: Buck Knows... (Aka 9-1-1 Crossovers) [2]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV), The Code (TV 2019)
Genre: M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:00:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24248440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinofwriting/pseuds/sinofwriting
Summary: Buck comes to a decision after a realization and months of sitting on it.
Relationships: Evan “Buck” Buckley & Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), John "Abe" Abraham/Evan "Buck" Buckley
Series: Buck Knows... (Aka 9-1-1 Crossovers) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1750306
Comments: 22
Kudos: 193





	1. Chapter 1

“Buck.”  
He looks up at the sound of his name, pocketing his phone.  
“Yeah, Cap?”  
Bobby’s looking at him with that fond expression that used to never fail at making his eyes water a little. “Athena wanted me to invite you over for dinner tonight, which means she’s telling you to come over for dinner.”  
“I’d love to,”  
“Great, be at the house by six.”  
Buck clears his throat, trying not to show he’s bothered by being cut off, “I’d love to, but I already have plans.”  
The fire captain raises an eyebrow, “Eddie can come to.”  
“They aren’t with Eddie. An old friend is in town and we wanted to catch up before he left.” Buck wonders for a second if Bobby will pick up on the half-lie he’s telling.  
“Alright then, I’ll tell Athena another night.”  
Buck nods, “see you next shift, Cap.” 

A few hours later finds Buck in the middle of those plans. He’s got a warm familiar weight on top of him as they kiss. He can feel the world falling away more and more with every kiss and slight shift of his hips. 

He’s broken out of his slight haze, by the sound of a phone ringing.  
“Not mine, I told everyone not to disturb me.”  
Buck groans, but reaches for his phone. 

“Hello?”  
“Bobby told me you weren’t coming to dinner.”  
He resists the urge to bang his head against a wall, instead choosing to roll his eyes. “Yeah, an old friend came to town, he wanted to catch up.”  
“Just wanted to make sure. Next time, then?”  
“Maybe.” Buck says a goodbye before hanging and turning off his phone. “There no more distractions.” 

“They still don’t know.”  
Buck freezes, his hands stopping midway from where they were going to cup his face. “No. You?”  
He shakes his head. “I think they suspect that I’ve started seeing someone.”  
“Do you think it’s weird that we don't say anything?”  
Abe shrugs, “not really. I mean, I’m out and you aren’t. We also are both pretty private people.” Knowing what he’s going to say next, he beats him to it. “And remember no one has the right to know about us. We get to decide who to tell and when to tell.”  
Buck nods after a moment, the words needing to settle. 

He shifts so he’s sitting against the headboard, Abe choosing to sit next to him, coming to the same conclusion that he had. 

“What are we doing exactly? I mean I know we're in a relationship, a very committed one. But, what are we doing?” Buck sighs. “The excuse of us both being private only goes so far.”  
“I know. And it’s not really something we’ve talked about, but I see us being together for a long time. Like, until we death do us part.” Abe pretends not to notice Buck’s wide eyes at the phrase. “I think we both know that we haven’t talked about it because of living situations.”  
“Yeah, it's a little hard when I’m here and you’re in Virginia.”  
The older man nods, the amount of flights he had been taking that were civilian would make some of his fellow marines shutter. “I could move. I’ve got family out here and I’m more than sure I could find a job doing something. Or I could live here and teach classes like I’ve been offered before. I’d have to fly out for three days a week, but I’d be here the other four.”  
Buck smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “You have family out here, but you also have family there. You’ve made a family in Quantico.”  
“You’ve made one here.” Abe reminds him and is suprised by the quick shake of his partner’s head. 

“What happened?”  
“I told you about Red, right?” When he nods, Buck continues. “After he died, I wanted… reassurance, I guess that no matter what, we wouldn’t stop talking even if something happened. And I didn’t get it. Which is fine, the joke that no one will make infront of me is my family is one with other families.” Abe frowns, but doesn’t interrupt. “When no one really said anything other than Eddie, it made me think about things. When we met, they kind of left for a while until the past month.” Buck swallows around the lump in his throat. “I don’t have family here. I have coworkers, who at times can be friends. And I know I have my sister, but she doesn’t feel like family. She hasn’t for a long time.”  
He nods, “this is why you’ve been different for the past two weeks isn’t it?”  
“Yeah, it is.”

“What do you want to do?” Abe asks, referencing their conversation from the night before as he begins to dress, needing to catch a hop for a case he’d just been assigned with Harper.  
Buck smiles, “Well, when you come back to me in a few days, I want to celebrate me finally using my degree at my new job in Virginia.”  
“What?” The belt that had been in his hands, falls to the floor. “Your what?”  
“It doesn’t start until August, since you know, school year. But, I got the email this morning while you were in the shower. I had my interview with them last time I visited.”  
“You planned last night!”  
He winces, but nods. “I did. It wasn’t supposed to go like that, but we hadn’t talked about the future. It’s why I didn’t bring up the job interview.”  
Abe shakes his head, as he picks up his belt before walking over to his partner and kissing him on the lips. “You know, I’m going to want you there sooner right?”  
“I know. I’m putting in my resignation next shift, I’ll probably have to work for two more weeks and then I’ll be all yours.”  
“Promise?”  
Buck laughs, but nods. “Promise. Now, finish getting dressed. You’re going to miss your hop if you don’t hurry, Captain Abraham.”  
“Oh, call me that again.”  
He pushes him away when he leans in for another kiss. “Get dressed, John.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I know it's a weird crossover, but I just watched The Code and fell in love with it. Of course my immediate thought was what if Buck and Abe were a couple and this was born. Hope you like it!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Buck tells the 118 about his decision.

“What is this?”   
“My letter of resignation, Captain Nash. I’m willing to work for two more weeks to help out with the shift schedule I know you’ll have to redo, but that’s all.”   
Bobby leans back in his chair, wondering when he became Captain Nash. “Buck, drop the formalities. Why are you quitting?”   
“I’m resigning, it sounds better than quitting. And this doesn’t feel like the right fit for me anymore. I’m ready for the next step in my life and it just so happens that being a firefighter isn’t part of that.” Buck tells him, knowing he owes the man some explanation for his sudden resignation.  
“Have you told anyone else?”   
“No, I have not. I figured it’d be best to tell you and then let everyone else know.”   
“Maddie doesn’t know?”   
Buck shakes his head, “no. And she probably won’t be happy with me considering my other news.”   
He sits up a little in his chair. “Mind if I ask what that is?”   
The younger man smiles, “I applied for a job about a month back and I got it. I’ll be moving out of state for it.”   
“Oh.” Bobby can’t help how his voice falls flat. He had been hoping that Buck would reconsider and realize that he still wanted to be a firefighter. But it’s clear that this wasn’t some rash decision. He had been thinking about this and planning for it. “Well, I’ll get the paperwork done for everything and tell you when your last shift will be after some rearranging.” He nods to the door, “you better tell them now.”   
“I will after you give me my last shift date. Thanks, Captain Nash.” 

Buck glances at his phone an hour later on the way back from a call where a kid got stuck in a tree. He smiles at the text. 

You know when you're coming my way?  
Not yet. Should know at the end of shift.   
Got it. Call me when you can with the answer.   
What about court?   
Needed a continuance. 

With that explanation, he pockets the device. Joining in Hen and Chimney’s conversation about what makes a better date.

A few hours later he finds himself back in Bobby’s office. “I’m guessing you have my last day?”   
The fire captain nods, “I did. You’ve got three more shifts, tomorrow, the 25th, and then your last will be the 27th.”   
“Wow. That’s…” Buck doesn’t know what to say, other than he’s grateful.  
Bobby smiles sadly, “We’ll miss you here, Buck. Now, let's get out of here. I need to finish up dinner.”   
“Yeah, I’ll be there in a few minutes.” 

He heads downstairs into the empty locker room. Sitting on the bench, he calls Abe. 

“Hey. I’m guessing you got a date?”   
“The 27th.” Buck tells him, smiling at the sharp inhale of breath he gets.   
“That’s this Friday. How are you feeling?”   
“Nervous, but excited. I haven’t told anyone other than Bobby. I wanted you to know my last shift date before anyone else.”   
“Awe.” He chuckles, and Buck can hear the sound of his bed creaking.   
“Did you stay up?”   
“I mean, yeah. But, it wasn’t just to hear when your last day will be. I had something for the case to finish up before court tomorrow.”   
“How’s it going?” Buck asks.   
“Well this the second continuance we’ve had. I’m ready to make a deal, but Maya and Trey aren’t working on this one, so I’m not even going to bother unless he approaches Harper and me.”

Buck glances at the doorway for the locker room, seeing someone out of the corner of his eye. He smiles at Eddie, before focusing on Abe. “Alright, I’m going to go. You should get some sleep.”   
“I didn’t hear the alarm.”   
“Dinner. And you need to sleep, you’ve got court tomorrow.”   
“If I’m lucky.” Abe mutters. “I love you.”   
“Love you too.” 

Ending the call, Buck gets up. He raises an eyebrow at Eddie, “I’m guessing dinner is done?”  
Eddie nods, but doesn’t move. “Who was that?”   
“On the phone?” Buck slips the device in his pocket. “An old friend of mine.”   
The older man finally moves out of the doorway, the two firefighters making their way upstairs. “Like Ali?”   
Buck chuckles, “uh, no. Not like Ali.” 

“What’s not like Ali?” Chimney asks, as they sit down.   
“A friend of mine I was talking to.”   
Bobby leans forward, “the one you went to dinner with a few days ago?”   
He points at Bobby, before taking the offered bowl of salad. “Exactly. Abe wanted me to call him when I could to check in.”   
Bobby nods, but Hen puts her hands up. “Hold on, Abe? Who’s Abe? Have you ever heard of an Abe?” She asks Eddie, who shakes his head.   
“He’s an old friend of mine. We met when I was nineteen, but a few months ago we bumped into each other and stayed in touch.” 

“Is he a lawyer?” Eddie asks a few minutes later. “It’s just I heard you mention he had court the next day.”   
“Uh, technically, yeah.”   
“Technically? So is he like a paralegal or something?” Chimney asks, laughing.   
Buck winces, not looking in Eddie’s direction. “He’s a judge advocate.” Everyone looks confused, having not heard the term before.  
“He’s military.” Eddie clarifies, being the only one who had heard of a judge advocate.   
“Still a lawyer, just a different title.”   
“Army?”   
Buck snorts at the idea, “No, marines.” He glances at the man, sitting across from him and is surprised to see that he isn’t on edge, waiting for a moment to run away like he usually is when the military was brought up, even in just passing. 

Bobby changes the subject seeing, Chimney gearing up to make a joke. “Let’s finish up dinner and then we can have some of that cake that Michael brought.” That gets everyone to start shoveling food in their mouths. It didn’t matter they would still have to wait another hour to have cake, unless they got a call in that time. Said cake was from a bakery that Michael had won a raffle from, a free cake every month for a year. And it was the best cake most of them had ever tasted. 

Luck seemed to be on their side as they didn’t get any calls for the next hour. Buck started serving the cake, giving Bobby a slightly bigger piece than everyone else, considering the arranging the man had to do because of his news. When Buck finished his piece, he glanced at the team. He takes in how Bobby and Hen are talking about where to go to dinner for their next double date. Eddie and Chimney, arguing about whether or not Chimney had won mario kart fair and square. Buck was sure he’d miss this, seeing people he cares about in one of their many natural habitats. 

He clears his throat, after another minute of just watching them. When they all look at him, he smiles. “Bobby already knows this, I told him at the start of shift, but I,” He pauses, seeing how the smile has slipped from Bobby’s face and how Hen, Chimney, and Eddie are still smiling, but there’s concern there too. “This Friday is my last shift. I resigned at the start of this shift, and have three more shifts, counting Friday’s.”   
It’s silent and the smiles have dropped from everyone’s faces. “Wait. You quit? Why?” Eddie asks, taking a step forward.   
“I had a job interview about a month ago, and I got the call a few days ago that it was mine if I still wanted it. And I did, so I took it.”   
“It’s not a different station?”   
He shakes his head, “It’s not even firefighting. I have a degree that’s been sitting unused and I finally figured out a few months ago that it was the next step for me.”   
“You’ll still be in LA right? I mean everyone is here.” Eddie sounds slightly desperate, and it makes Buck uncomfortable, but he pushes through it.   
“It’s not. I’ll be moving out of state actually.”   
“Does Maddie know?” Chimney asks, speaking for the first time.   
Buck shakes his head, “No. I’m getting breakfast with her tomorrow. I’ll tell her then.”   
“So, you told Bobby first, but not Maddie?”   
Buck winces, and Chimney catches it and he starts to laugh. “You’re kidding me. You told someone before you told your own boss? Before you told Bobby? I mean, Jesus Buck. It was bad enough you didn’t tell Maddie before all of us, but she’s what the sixth person to find out?”   
“Seventh, not that it really matters. I told my landlord before I told Bobby.”   
“And who was the first one to find out?” Hen asks, a blank expression on her face.   
He looks at his feet for a second, before looking at all of them. “My friend, Abe.”   
Everyone looks slightly hurt, but Eddie looks like he’s been raked over hot coals.

The rest of the shift is quiet, no one talks to each other. As Buck exits the station, he’s surprised when Eddie appears by his side and stops him before he can get in his jeep. 

“Why didn’t you tell me? I mean, we talk about a lot of things and you’ve been thinking about this for months. Why didn’t you ever bring it up?”   
Buck frowns, “I didn’t know how. I know I haven’t seen Christopher in awhile, but I want to be the one who tells him. I can stop by after getting breakfast with Maddie if that’s okay?”   
“Of course.” Before Buck can climb into the jeep, Eddie stops him. “And Buck, I’m not mad. A little hurt, but that’s mostly from shock. I was thinking about these past few months and something has been different about you, I guess I just ignored it and I shouldn’t have. I hope that we can still keep in touch.”   
Buck shakes his head, with a grin. He pulls the older man into a hug. “I’m always going to keep in touch with you, Eddie. Besides, you’re still my best friend despite these past few months being weird. I’ll admit you were the only one I was really worried about telling, you and Christopher. It’s going to be hard leaving you two.”   
“We’ll always be family, brothers.” Eddie tells him, with a nudge when they break the hug. “And maybe for Chris’ spring break or something like that we can visit you in?”   
“Virginia. And I’d really like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I hope this was worth the wait and that you liked it.   
> I'll admit that the whole Eddie and Buck scene wasn't supposed to happen, but it did and worked so well with what I wrote in this first part about how only Eddie had reassured Buck that they would always stay in touch, that I kept it in.
> 
> Also, I have no idea if I'll be writing a part three. I kind of have an idea, but it just seems a little unrealistic but who knows, maybe I will.


	3. Chapter 3

Maddie fiddled with the paper napkin holding her silverware together. She wondered if Buck would mind if she just ordered now and didn’t wait. She starts to look around for a waitress, when he slides into the booth, sitting opposite her. 

“Hey, have you ordered yet?”   
Maddie shakes her head, “I was just about to. I’ll wait.” She offers, sitting back.   
He shakes his head, “I already know what I want. You?”   
“Blueberry pancakes and hash browns.” 

She isn’t surprised when the waitress shows up that he immediately looks to Maddie, letting her order first. After she’s done, he asks for the fruit salad and a cup of coffee. 

“Why did you want to get breakfast?” She asks, when they’re both done with their food.   
“I can’t just want to get breakfast with you?”   
She laughs, “that’s not what I’m saying. It’s just the last time we got breakfast together, I told you I was getting married. We save getting breakfast out for big things.” Her heart thuds painfully in her chest at the reminder of that breakfast so many years ago.  
“Your right.” He sighs. 

Buck leans forward, putting his elbows on the table. “I applied for a job awhile back and got it. It’s out of state so in a few weeks, I’ll be moving.”   
She blinks a few times, trying to figure out what’s going on. He couldn’t be leaving, not her, not now. “You can’t be leaving. I mean what about the 118? Your family?”   
“Maddie.” He looks around, hoping that she won’t raise her voice and draw attention to them. “I’ve got Eddie, and I’ve got Christopher here.” He doesn’t say the that's it, but it’s heavily implied. “But I know that they want me to be happy and I can’t do that here.”   
“You have me and Chimney. And what about Hen and Bobby? God, Bobby. Did you think about him? How is he going to react?”   
“He already knows.” He ignores the hurt look she gives him. “I told him and everyone else during shift. The only one who doesn’t know is Christopher. Eddie’s letting me tell him tonight.”   
“They all knew before me?”   
“Yes. And Chimney already bit my head off for that, so don’t worry about doing it yourself.” 

“Buck.” She doesn’t know what to say. She feels blindsided. When had he expressed an interest in leaving? When had he stopped considering her family? His words about Christopher and Eddie echoing in her head. “Do you really need to leave? I mean, you're about to be an uncle.”   
He looks surprised at her words, “I’ll be an uncle no matter where I am.” He reaches across the table to hold her hand. “I’m happy for you, Maddie. You deserve to be happy and I know that you wanted to be a mom at some point. I’m glad it’s happening now.”  
“When did I stop being family?” She asks, in a broken whisper, unable to get past that she isn’t family to him anymore, but he is to her. She wonders if it was after the tsunami when she didn’t care about how much Christopher meant to him, or if it was the lawsuit and despite him being in the right she didn’t support him. Or if it was when she replied maybe to when he asked if he was selfish, despite him being the most selfless person she knows.  
He flinches at the question. “I can’t tell you the exact moment.” He lies. “But, I can tell you, that I’ve never really had a family here. I thought I did, but really I didn’t.”   
“You have Eddie and Christopher.”   
“But, I have Eddie and Christopher.” He mentally adds Abe's name to the list. 

She nods after a moment, sitting up straight and pushing the tears away. “You’ll call right? And text?”   
“Of course. I have a niece or nephew coming soon.”  
She wants to make him promise to keep in contact, but she holds her tongue. Knowing that if anyone would lose contact it would be her. Maddie glances at her phone when it vibrates on the table, her alarm ringing. “I’m sorry, Buck. I have to go, my shift starts soon.”   
He nods, waving off her offer to pay for breakfast. “Go, I’ve got this.”   
She hugs him quickly, “I love you, Evan.”   
“Love you too.” 

“Breakfast with Maddie, go okay?” Eddie asks hours later, as they sit on the couch facing each other instead of the tv.   
Buck shrugs, running his fingers through the blond curly hair in his lap. “I think it went as expected. She was shocked, wants me to stay, doesn’t understand it really.”   
“And?”   
“She asked when she stopped being family.” Buck glances down at Christopher, making sure he’s still asleep.   
Eddie is unable to stop the harsh intake of breath, “What’d you tell her?”   
“A lie.” When the older man gives him a look, he rolls his eyes. “I know, I know. But what was I supposed to tell her? You haven’t felt like family since I was eight. That sure we had a close relationship since you’ve moved to LA, but even then, I never once felt like we were family?” He shakes his head. “I couldn’t do that. She’s been through enough.”   
“What about you? Haven’t you been through enough?” It’s a question Eddie’s asked once before when they had a similar conversation months ago.   
“Maybe, it’s different.” 

Eddie goes to push, but Christopher groans, trying to push himself further into Buck’s lap. “Bucky?” He mumbles, hands gripping Buck’s shirt.   
“Hey, superman.” Buck brushes away the hair on his forehead. “Are you ready for bed?”   
He nods, turning so he can bury his face in Buck’s stomach.   
Buck laughs, “I’m not a bed, bud. So how about you let your dad put you to bed?”   
He shakes his head, and Eddie can’t even feel hurt, when he asks Buck to do it instead of him. He’s had to accept that Buck is his son’s favorite person in the world since they first met and he’s even accepted that despite not really talking about it other than one time, they had been pretty much co-parenting Christopher since that first Christmas together.

Eddie smiles when Buck rejoins him on the couch. “I’m gonna miss having you as a co-parent.”   
“Hey, I’m still going to be there for you guys. I’ll visit as much as I can and I’m more than willing to fly you both out to me, whenever you want to escape.”   
“If you think for a second that Christopher would let you fly out here when we could fly there, your nuts. He takes after you with all the museums he wants to go to. I didn’t even know until today that from virginia to dc is an hour’s drive.”   
“If that.” 

“Why Virginia?” Eddie asks, after they’ve both had a beer.   
Buck smiles, and it’s different from his usual ones. It reminds him of the one he reserves for Christopher, but it’s slightly different. “Abe lives there.”   
“Abe?” He draws a blank for a second before it clicks. “Abe. So, Abe isn’t just a friend?”   
“No, he isn't. We’ve been together for a few months now.”   
His eyebrows raise. “How long are a few?”   
“Five, six? Hard to keep track when you live on opposite sides of the country.” Buck shrugs, but there’s a pink settling on his cheeks.  
“I’m glad he makes you happy. You do know that I’m going to have to give him the talk right?” When Buck raises an eyebrow, Eddie laughs. “You hurt my little brother, I’ll make you wish you were dead.”   
“Damn, street fighter going to make a comeback.”   
He shoves the blonde lightly, “I don’t know, you going to…” he draws a blank.   
Buck snorts, “I’m going too?”   
“Asshole.”   
“Sure, Eddie, sure.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the second to last part! I don't know when the last part/chapter will be out, but hopefully I'll have it out soon.


	4. Chapter 4

Eddie watches with a smile as Abe lets Christopher tackle him to the ground. The ten year old, yelling with excitement and a large grin. “I see you're watching the kids.” Buck says, nudging him, so he can sit next to him.   
He shrugs, taking the beer that Buck offers him. “Someone has to watch them.”   
“Good point.” He laughs, taking a swig of his own beer. “So, not that I mind the last minute visit, but why are you here?”   
Eddie looks away from him and back to Abe and Christopher. “Christopher missed you and he’s out for school, I had the vacation time.” He shrugs, “Felt like a good idea.”   
“C’mon, Eddie. I know that’s not it.”   
“Bobby wants to have me transferred.”   
“What?” 

He sighs, looking at his best friend. “I’ve been insubordinate so he wants me transferred. He’s trying to get the 43 to take me.”   
“You mean the station that’s over two hours away from your place?” Buck scoffs, “How have you been insubordinate?” Eddie gives him a look and it dawns on Buck. “You’re kidding right?” When he doesn’t say anything, Buck curses. “But, that’s personal and by personal I mean it’s my personal life, not yours.”   
“Bobby’s never been good about keeping things professional.”  
“Got that right.” He mutters under his breath, before throwing his arm over the older man’s shoulders, in a side hug. “I’m sorry, man. And hey tell him whatever he wants now, if it means you get to stay there.”   
Eddie shakes his head, “That’s not why I’m here, Buck. To get your permission to tell Bobby about you, when you told him point blank that you didn’t want anything to do with him anymore. I’d rather lose my job, which is why I’m here.” Buck’s eyebrows furrow, not understanding. “I talked to Chris a few months ago and Abe last month. He hooked me up with the fire chief, who offered me a job at the academy, teaching the incoming firefighters.”   
“What?”   
“Next month, Chris and I are moving here, moving expenses are totally covered and Abe helped me find a house that’s pretty much exactly like this.”   
“You’re renting the house across the street.” Buck says in disbelief, remembering how Abe has taken an interest in the house after they’re neighbors moved out. “I was wondering why the sign went away, but no one had moved in.”   
“Didn’t feel like telling you over the phone.”   
“Also explains why Chris has been trying to not be alone with me.”   
Eddie laughs, “yeah, he’s really excited about it.” 

“How did Abulea and Pepa take it?”   
“Surprisingly well, I think they expected it after the third time we flew out and Christopher constantly talked about how cool Virginia is and how much he missed you. And I promised that Christopher and I would visit every year at least once.” Eddie smiles, thinking about how the two most important women in his life took the news.  
He hesitates, but with a glance towards Christopher and seeing that Abe is now pushing him on the tire swing, he chances it. “How did your mom and dad react?”   
Eddie grimaces, “Worse than when I told them I was moving to California. They threatened to take Christopher with them, but I told them it was pointless. No judge would award them custody, especially if they talked to Christopher. Besides the only person who has any legal rights over him besides me is you.”   
“Okay, I’m co-parenting with you and I’m number one emergency contact again now that you're moving here, but that doesn’t give me any legal right over Chris.” It hurts Buck to voice that aloud, but it’s the painful truth.   
“No, but he has something to ask you and if you accept, you will.”   
“Eddie.” He sounds breathless, tears coming to his eyes as he realizes what the man is implying.   
“I wasn’t supposed to let it slip, but Christopher has the papers in his backpack. I don’t know when he’s going to do it, but I do know he’s roped Abe in it.”   
“God, help us.” Buck breathes, draining the rest of his beer as he tries not to cry. 

Buck has to stop himself from crying the rest of the night, nearly breaking when he says goodnight to Christopher. He only lets himself break after Eddie goes to bed and he’s in the safety of his bedroom and Abe’s arms. 

“I’m gonna be a dad.”   
Abe chooses not to point out that he’s been a dad since before he had met him. He runs a hand down his partners spine, not minding the tears soaking the crook of his neck. “You are. To an amazing little boy.”   
He lets a shaky breath, “I can’t believe it.”   
“It’ll set in after you sign all the documents.”   
Buck makes a humming noise to agree. “Thank you.” He whispers a moment later.   
“For what?”   
“You gave me a family.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end! I hope you guys liked it. I know it might seem a little unrealistic for Eddie to move, but I could see it with the circumstances that I created.


End file.
